An Ohio judge has allowed veterans and fraternal posts to continue operating electronic raffle machines while a lawsuit by the groups against the state attorney general proceeds.

While a portion of the raffles' proceeds go to charity, Attorney General Mike DeWine has declared the devices to be illegal, and after months of enforcement delay ordered them shut down in October.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that Franklin County Judge Laurel Beatty's order on Thursday prevents DeWine, the Ohio Liquor Control Commission and any cooperating agency from taking enforcement action against the machines.

Beatty's order came the same day lawyers for groups operating the machines argued in a lawsuit against DeWine that the devices are legal and posts and lodges shouldn't be subject to criminal or civil penalties.